Have you heard of iambic pentameter? Students often tell me they know it’s important but they are not quite sure what it is. In this post, I aim to clear…
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Language can be precise, specific and to the point, or it can me imprecise, vague and even confusing. There are times when we want to be precise but there are…
In the past three Exploring English posts we have looked at modal verbs. Today we explore the final main category: Modal verbs of ability. Here, ability covers both the sense…
Have you heard the term ‘register‘ in relation to language? It’s an important aspect of how we use language but, if we are not careful, we may not pay…
When I was little, my mother used to recite these lines: Where the bee sucks, there suck I; In a cowslip’s bell I lie; There I couch when owls…
Last week, we explored modal verbs of certainty and uncertainty. Today we move on to obligation and permission. Obligation means that we have to do something. We don’t have…
This week I’ve been looking at false friends. These are words that look familiar, but are being used in a different way and so have a different meaning. Or, in…
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? This is one of Shakespeare’s best known lines. It is also one of the most commonly misunderstood. These words are spoken by Juliet…
Have you heard of collocations? They sound complicated, don’t they? Well, collocations are important in English, and we do have to learn them just like any other vocabulary, but they…
All summer I’ve been talking about Easier Shakespeare: teaching students some simple Shakespearean grammar and vocabulary so that they can tackle and understand the plays for themselves. But why? What…
Six months ago I switched to tutoring English online overnight. For years, I have travelled to my students’ homes and sat in their kitchens and dining rooms as we worked…
My students – and their parents – often complain that they find older texts difficult to understand. Especially Shakespeare. I understand. Our language is constantly evolving and when we try…